Chapter 8 – Kotobuki Conflict
Mugi's POV
"Huh? You got kicked out?"
"That's what she told me." Miharu-chan was telling Tamura-san why I had come over with more stuff than the other days that I came for a visit. I was too much in a depressed mood to do it myself. So Miharu-chan did it for me.
"Let me guess…it has something to do with you two being half-sisters, huh?"
"Yes. It's true." I said. "After a few days of collecting my thoughts about the subject, I had finally brought it up to my father. The thing is…he wasn't really happy about it."
"I see. So, it led to an argument between the two of you."
"A really bad one. So bad, in fact…that it led to me being forced out of the place that I grew up in. And with nowhere else to go and my funds cut off, I came here. Sorry for the sudden arrival."
"Can't Mugi stay here, Yoriko? She can bunk with me." Miharu-chan suggested.
"Well…" Tamura-san looked unsure of the idea.
"Please, Mother? It would be the right thing given the current situation." Mikuru-chan added.
…
…
"*sigh* Alright, fine. Since you're technically related to Akiyo, I can't really turn you down. I don't have the heart to do that."
I let out a sigh of relief as my living situation was solved for now.
"BUT! There are some rules. Don't make a lot of noise during the day. Lights out at 11. And if you're going to be living here, you're gonna have to help out around here. The same goes for you, Miharu."
"Sure thing." Miharu-chan said.
"Thank you so much, Tamura-san. I'm so sorry for all of this." I said with a bow.
"It's fine, really. At least you two will be together a lot more often now. And that Mikuru has a second older sister to look up to."
"M-Mother, please!" Mikuru-chan yelled with a faint blush.
"Anyway." Miharu-chan said. "I can get you set up in my room for the time being. It should be big enough."
"Sure thing, Miharu-chan." I said with a smile.
Looking out for me like this…she's starting to look like the older sister now.
"I'll send Mikuru for you both when dinner is ready." Tamura-san said.
"Thanks, Yoriko."
"Thank you, Tamura-san."
Miharu-chan took me to her room in the back of the hotel. It was the same size as the others. Which, by the way, was really…tiny. I'm probably saying this because of the fact that I had a gigantic room of my own for most of my life. But it was the first thing I noticed when taking a proper look at it.
"*phew* Here it is. I knew there was a second futon around here somewhere."
"Miharu-chan…I can't tell you how sorry I am for making you guys do this for me. There must be some way to repay you."
"Quit apologizing, Mugi. It's fine, really. I mean…we are family, right?"
F-Family?
My heart skipped a few beats when I heard that word. It was a word that was rarely said to me. Mainly because of my background as the daughter of a successful businessman.
A rich-girl stereotype that's, unfortunately, all too true.
"Yeah…family. That we are, Miharu-chan." I said with a smile.
…
At least, I thought I did. Because Miharu-chan was staring at me with a concerned look on her face.
"Wh-What?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just…I-I've been wondering. Wh-What exactly happened…when your parents found out that I was here in Japan?"
"Y-You…You really want to know? It's pretty…hurtful."
"Bah. I don't care if it is. I know who my parents are. I'm not going to let the crappy words of some snobby old man put me down."
"Hey…" I grew insulted. Even if it is true.
"Sorry. My point is, it won't affect me at all. So, come on. Tell me."
"*sigh* Alright. You win. So, it went like this…"
*YESTERDAY…*
Alright. Here I go. After some time mentally preparing for whatever outcome happens from this, I'm ready to face them about it. They have to know…that I know everything.
"I'm home."
"Oh, Mugi dear. Welcome home. How was your day?"
"It was good. As usual." I then looked around the room. "Where's Mother?"
"Your mother had some business to take care of overseas. She'll be back in a few days."
"Oh. I see."
I guess this makes it somewhat easier…
"Now then. If you don't have anything else to say, please leave me be for now. I'm quite busy myself, you know."
"A-Actually, Father. I do have something to say."
"Hm? You do, huh? Well, make it quick. Time is money."
The stereotype is so real…how was I completely blind to this for 17 years?
His main concern is money. As with most successful people are. The only good thing from this is that he doesn't neglect his family like most would do.
…
Well…he doesn't neglect MOST of them.
"Father…I've met her."
"Her? What are you talking about, Mugi?"
"I'm saying…I've met Miharu Neroni. My half-sister."
…
…
…
…
"I'll call you back, Sakamoto." Father said after an awkward moment of silence. Hanging up his phone and placing it on his desk. "Mugi. I thought I told you to not bother with it."
"How could I, Father? This whole time, I thought I was an only child. But to think that I had a half-sister…in a different country, no less. And the way that it happened, too…" I then started to blush as I remember how Tamura-san explained how the two of us became to be. That part, I just can't comprehend.
"That is none of your concern. The main thing is that you disobeyed me. How did you even meet that child, anyway?"
"Well…I'm sure you know a woman named Akiyo Neroni, correct?"
"Akiyo?!" Father went silent for a bit. "*clears throat* Yes, I did knew her well. It is truly sad that she had passed so soon. But that doesn't explain how the two of you crossed paths."
"Actually it does, Father. Akiyo made one final wish to her daughter that she wanted her to know what Japan was like. And so that daughter fulfilled that wish and moved here a little over a week ago. The same time we came back from our family trip."
"Wh-What?! It happened by such a random chance and I couldn't stop it! For once, the scales of life were against me."
"And she goes to my school, as well. Where we have bonded together and…"
"Mugi! That is enough! I forbid you from having any contact with this girl! Do you hear me?!"
"Father, why?! Why are you neglecting her like this?! She technically IS your daughter!"
"Mugi! What's said is final! That child is not part of this family! Forget about her and forget about this conversation!"
"Father…I cannot do that. I cannot neglect her like how you are. I love Miharu. She is my sister and I will forever acknowledge it! I refuse to be alone once again!"
Father slammed his fist on the desk in front of him in a fit of rage. Experiencing that his "only" daughter is disobeying him. A rebellious move that I bet he never expected.
"Mugi…get out."
"I'm sorry?"
"Get out…Get out of this house! If you chose to disobey me, then you do not deserve to live under this roof! Pack your stuff and be out by the end of the week!"
So…that's how it is, huh?
"Hmph. Very well, Father. I shall take my leave. And I'll be with someone who WANTS to accept the truth. Someone who isn't a coward like you."
"E-Excuse me?!"
"I shall return for my stuff in the coming days. Goodbye, Father." This was the last thing I said to him before turning my back towards him and leaving the place that I used to call home.
Whether or not this was a huge mistake on my part…I'm not really sure.
*PRESENT TIME*
"W-Wow. Mugi, I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, Miharu-chan. Telling my father about you was something I wanted to do since the day we met. So, I can cross that off my bucket list."
"Yeah, but…you were basically kicked out of your family. Everything you grew up with is…well, gone."
"*sigh* Yes, I know. But…now may be the chance to create my own background for once. I've been in my father's overprotective shadow for most of my life. And now it's time I finally make a name for myself. Time to spread my wings!"
"You're…oddly happy about this." Miharu-chan said with a sweatdrop.
"Well…it's mainly because I'm with you now. My half-sister."
"I see. Well, I can easily say the same thing about you, Mugi."
"Thank you, Miharu-chan. You're the only family I have left now. I'm glad to have met you."
"That being said…do you really need to add the "-chan" part to my name?"
"Huh? I don't understand."
"Mio did say that we call each other by our last names until we gain the right to use first names. Like if a group become friends or something like that?"
"Actually, I was the one who said that…" I said with a sweatdrop. "…But yes. That is the case. But I already call you by your first name. why bring this up?"
"Well…" Miharu-chan rubbed the back of her head. "These honorifics are a little bit hard to get used to. "All of these "-chans" and "-sans" and "-senpais" and "-senseis". Plus, there's the fact that I don't know any Japanese."
"I see."
Right. Even though we're sisters, she is still French.
"So…will "Miharu" do just fine?"
"Well, that is my name. Just without the "-chan"."
"*giggle* Alright, then. Consider it done…Miharu."
"Merci beaucoup, Mugi." Miharu said. "That means "Thank you very much", by the way."
"Wow. That's amazing, Miharu."
*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*
"Yes?" Miharu answered the door.
"Miharu-san. Kotobuki-san. Dinner is ready."
"Oh, right. Thanks, Mikuru. We'll be right there."
"O-Okay." Mikuru-san said before closing the door. Leaving us two alone again.
"Looks like dinner's done. Ready to eat?"
"Weren't you were supposed to pick up food from "Knock-Off McDonald's"." I asked.
"Yeah, I was. But Yoriko got something even better."
"Really? What's that?"
"Knock-Off Taco Bell! Yum!"
I laughed a little hard at what Miharu sees the restaurants here in Japan. Yes, they are cheap knock-offs of popular fast-food restaurants. But no one has ever pointed it out before.
Or maybe they just didn't want to.
"You're one special sister, Miharu." I said with a smile.
The two of us then made our way to join the Tamuras for dinner. The first of many now that I live with my half-sister.
And for once, not feel alone.
Author's Note: Mugi and Miharu now live together after the former confronts her father of his "secret" second daughter. Which doesn't end well at all. Now the two work on making their familiar bond grow even more as they live under the same roof.
This will most likely be the last chapter for the month. I'm working on another story and I want that finished by Halloween. So, this one will be going on a short break.
Thanks for reading. Later.